Round by Round: Tarver -vs- Jones

By B. "The Hype" Thompson

01/10/2005

Round by Round: Tarver -vs- Jones

Prefight
Roy enters first. The crowd erupts. Roy smiles. He's feelin' the crowd.  Roy turns to the crowd and takes it all in. Tarver enters next. The crowd boos. Wow. Tarver doesn't look happy about that as his smile disappears. The crowd boos even more when Tarver enters the ring. LLLLLLET'S GET READY TO RUMBLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! Roy smiles across the ring and gives a wink. Tarver looks confident, but pissed. Roy smiles at Tarver as they meet in the center of the ring. The ref doesn't ask if they have any questions.

Round 1
There's the bell. Tarver fires the jab. Roy circles. Tarver jabbing. Roy feints. Nothing from Jones. Both men posing in the center of the ring. Jones hasn't thrown a punch yet. Tarver jabs. Tarver misses a left. Roy circles. More feints. And more feints from Jones. The crowd getting loud. Jones still hasn't thrown a punch. Roy feints. Quick jab from Jones but it hits nothing. Jones feints. Tarver jabs and misses a left. Roy fires three punches...lands one to the body. They wrestle. Left hook just misses for Jones. Tarver jabs. Roy smiles. Dances in. Tarver lands a left. Jones lands a shot to the body and Tarver stuffs him with a jab. Round to Tarver, but neither have done anything yet. 

Tarver 10 Jones 9

Round 2
Jones lands a right to the body. They pose. Jones fires a jab. Circles. They clinch and Tarver tries to work the body. Roy dances away. Tarver misses a big left. Tarver misses a 1-2...the first time Roy's back touches the ropes. Jones gets back to the center of the ring. Lands a jab. Lands another jab and a right. Dances in and out. Lands a right. Tarver just misses with a left. Tarver lands a clean left and wobbles Jones. Jones covers up. Tarver unloads. Roy dances away. Jones misses with a wild right. They clinch. Round to Jones for the potshots, but Tarver did some damage.

Tarver 19 Jones 19

Round 3
Roy circles. Tarver fires the jab. Roy circles. Looks confused. Tarver misses a jab. Pressing Roy back. Tarver lands a hard right hand, but Jones answers with two body shots on the inside. Tarver lands a jab. Just misses with another jab. Tarver lands a left on Roy's shoulder. Jones poses...lands a hard body shot. Tarver lands a hard left hand. Roy lands a right. Tarver flurries at the end and lands a left.

Tarver 29 Jones 28

Round 4
Tarver lands another hard left. Jones answers with a hard right of his own. Hard body shot lands for Jones. The action is picking up. Jones poses. Tarver fires the jab. Jones circles away. Tarver just misses a left cross. Some chicken moves from Jones. Tarver misses a left. Hard right by Jones to the body. Another hard right to the body for Jones. Tarver lands a jab. Body shot lands for Jones. Jones circles away and smiles. Tarver lands a left. They clinch. Hard body shot lands for Jones. Tarver tries to rough him up on the inside. Right hand lands for Jones. Tarver lands a left and a big uppercut on the inside. Jones lands a left. Tarver misses the jab. Round to Jones...his best round.

Tarver 38 Jones 38

Round 5
Tarver jabs. Jones circles. More chicken moves from Jones. Jones lands a 4-punch combo. Tarver jabs. Jones jacks Tarver with a jab. Jones does some showboatin....slaps his foot and tags Tarver with another left. Jones poses. Hands are down. Tarver fires the jab. Lands two big left hands. Jones lands a big right. It's on. We got a fight. Tarver misses a right. Jones on the ropes. He rocks Tarver. Jones landing some big uppercuts. Jones is looking good. Tarver covers. Jones landing pretty easily. Tarver backs him up into the corner. Jones lands some big body shots. Jones lands 4, 5, 6 straight punches. Tarver  takes a deep breath. Tarver jabs. Right to the body lands for Jones. HUGE round for Jones.

Taver 47 Jones 48

Round 6
The crowd is on it's feet. Tarver presses the action. Drives Jones back . Tarver lands a left against the ropes. Jones lands an uppercut. They trade right hands in the center of the ring. Tarver drives Jones back with a left hand. Tarver lands another left hand as Jones covers up against the ropes. Jones walks Tarver back to the center of the ring. Jones poses. Tarver probes with his jab. Jones not doing anything. Body shot lands for Jones. Quick right hand lands to the head of Tarver. Tarver grazes with a left...Jones sticks his tongue out at him. Jones talking to the fans. Jones feints. Tarver misses an overhand left. Jones smiles. They hit heads and Tarver complains to the ref about the headbutt. Round to Tarver, but Jones dazzeled the crowd.

Tarver 57 Jones 57

Round 7
Jones circles. Tarver probes with the jab. Jones feints. Tarver lands a shot to the body that was a little low. Jones dances in the center of the ring. Tarver presses the action and lands a shot to the body against the ropes. Tarver misses a left, Roy smiles. Jones lands a left. The crowd begins to chant. Tarver presses the action again and lands some shots against the ropes. Tarver slips on the canvas. Roy not doing much. Just posing. Tarver misses a jab. Tarver misses a 1-2. Jones lands a jab. Jones misses a left. Jones dances away. Tarver just misses a left. Jones retreats and covers on the ropes. Round to Tarver...Jones is just posing in there. A lot like their first fight.

Tarver 67 Jones 66

Round 8
Tarver was breathing a little heavy in between rounds. Tarver comes out pressing the action. Jones retreats. Tarver lands a jab. Tarver paws with the jab...lands a left. Roy shakes his head. Jones lands two shots to the body. Jones circles away. Tarver presses the action against the ropes. Landing shots, but a lot of them are just landing on the arms as Jones covers up. Jones poses, but not doing much. This is just like their first fight. Jones paws with the jab and smiles. The crowed boos. Jones grins. Jones dances. They both pose. Tarver lands a jab. They circle. Do nothing. Jones misses a right. They clinch...end of round. Round to Tarver. Jones not doing anything

Tarver 77 Jones 75

Round 9
Tarver presses the action and lands a left to the body. Jones fires the jab, but doesn't land anything. Jones lands a left. Tarver lands a hard left through Roy's guard. Jones retreats. Tarver just misses a left. Roy circles away. Big uppercut thrown from South America lands for Tarver. Jones retreats. Tarver presses the action. Works Jones against the ropes. Jones poses. Tarver lands a left to the body. Jones just smiles. HARD right hand lands for Jones. Tarver dances away. Round to Tarver for being more active.

Tarver 87 Jones 84

Round 10
Jones lands a right to the body. Tarver presses the action. Works him on the ropes. Jones covers up again. Jones fires a right that's blocked. Left hand lands for Tarver. Tarver misses with two BIG left hoooks. Tarver lands the jab. Jones lands a right. One punch at a time for Jones. Just like the first fight. Jones lands a body shot. Right hand by Jones, but it's blocked. Jones covers up against the ropes and Tarver unloads. Tarver working Jones against the ropes. Roy walks him out, but just covers up. Left hand lands for Jones. Tarver retreats. Jones throws combos and starts working Tarver against the ropes. Round to Tarver. Jones isn't doing enough to steal them.

Tarver 97 Jones 93

Round 11
Tarver presses the action. Jones retreats. They trade against the ropes. Tarver misses with a big left. Jones lands a short left on the inside. Jones is rocked. HE'S ROCKED! Jones walked into a big right hand. Tarver almost false over the ropes and out of the ring chasing Jones down. Jones is rocked. Tarver jumps on him. Landing a lot. Jones is wobbled but he's walking forward. Tarver looks tired. Jones comes forward firing. Jones presses the action now. Jones is still hurt. Jones looks like he's about to fall through the ropes. But Tarver is tired too. Jones lands a hard left. Tarver's tired. Leaning against the ropes. Jones lands a left. Tarver flurries. Lands a big left hook that ROCKS Jones, but he's still coming forward. Hard left to the body for Jones and Tarver gasps for air. Great round. Round to Tarver. Jones was out on his feet, but he stayed up and fought back. Great round.

Tarver 107 Jones 102

Round 12
Tarver looks tired. Jones stalks. Jones lands a left hook. Tarver retreats. Jones lands a straight right. Jones circles away. Tarver lands a right hook. Jones dances in the corner. Jones circels away. Tarver lands a left. Presses the action. Lands a combo on the ropes. Jones fights back. Jones lands a shot that was a little low. Tarve retreats. Jones does nothing. 10 seconds left. Jones lands a body shot. They pose. Tarver misses. That's the bell. Round to Jones. Tarver raises his hands in victory. Jones looks discouraged, but raises his hand anyway.

Tarver 116 Jones 112

Winner...And Still....Antonio Tarver

Judges scorecards 116-112, 116-112, 117-111